Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-12-16
RUSSIAN OPINIONS OF THE
SITUATION.
4 Resume of the 0utlook-.Russia' s
Peace Effective Greatly Re-
duCed Since 1881.
Austrian Forces Have Been Increased
German Railway Rolling Stock
Made to Use Oh Russian Roads.
The Manager Of the French Opera Comique
Recently Burned, Sentenced to Three
Months Imprisonment.
RUSSIA.

ST. PETERSBURG, Dec 15.-The official
military Gazette says: Owing to the
alarm raised by the Austrian press in
consequence of the transfer of some Rus
sian cavalry TO the Warsaw district, it is
advisable to consider the military position
of Russia and her western frontier neigh
bors in order to throw light upon the ques-
ton of VINO is really prepared to attack
and who is for defense. During the past
five years the peace effective of the German
army has been increased siXty-five battal-
ions and 3S4 guns. The German troops on
Russian frontier have been increased
twenty-one battalions of infantry, twenty
seven batteries of artillery and fifteen
squadrons of cavalry. Since 1878 Germany
had built in eastern provinces 1850
kilometers OF railroads. There are eleven
German railroads by means of which troops
can be forwarded to the Russian frontier
and junction places where they can be
rapidly thrown out of trains and concen-
trated Germany has formed first-class
fortresses at Thorn, POsen. Dantzig and
konigsbuTg, and is building a similar
fortress at GrandOng. Austria has added
which formerly constituted her effective
and would add IN event OF mobilization OF
the army $40 lanW-eihr or hOneyed divis-
ions The Galcian garrisons have been
reinforced during 1887 by eighteen squad
rooms of cavalry and thirteen batteries of
artillery, all provided with a full compile
ment OF horses. In the Austrian districts,
which might become the theatre
OF war with Russia. $500 kilometers Of
railroads, with four branches, have been
constructed since 1873. Six Austrian rail
ways are available for throwing into
Galcia large bodies Of troops, which, sby
means of new junction stations, can lie
placed in position on the Russian frontier.
Military huts, depOts and stores are being
collected at Lemburg, Przemisl, Jaws
Low, Dembitza, Ratchaff and other points.
The fortreSSeS at PrZemisl and CracOW
have been converted into camp fortreSses.
Russian territory can be bombarded from
CracoW forts. 4 large quantity of rolling
stock has been accumulated at Cracow,
adapted for use on the Russian railways.
All these preparations are meaningless,
except in view of offensive tactics, and 50
that Austria, under selnblance of defense,
is at the same time, preparing to invade
Russia simultaneously with her ally. But
what is Russia doing in view of her neigh
boris threatening preparations? Notwith-
standing the manifest Ganger Russia con
siders that an European war would be a
terrible misfortune to all mankind She.
was first who amid her neigh Dor'5 feveriSh
armaments did not increase, but decrease,
her defensive forces In 1851 and 1882 Rus
STA reduced her peace effective nearly 109,
900 men. True, she raised it again in CON
sequence of d necessity of improving her
readiness 10 mobilize when her neighbOrs
unremittingly raised their fighting
strength.
Nevertheless the peace effective
Of the Russian army is now 1918
less than in 1881, while her
have raised their peace effective $1,000.
Doubtless Russia, in event of war. will as
semble a mighty army the concentration
OF which on the frontier Will be incompar-
ably more difficult for her than will
be the concentration OF her neighbors
of their forces at the same
place During the last they years 2,G3S
structed in the western province of
Russia. In the German and Austrian
eastern provinces during the same period,
$500 kilomet erS have been built Moreover,
the area in which Russia has constructed
the railways is twice as large chat in
question which her neighbors have built
in lines
The Official Messenger referring to the
trouble at Moscow university says: The
lectures of the university Were suspended
in consequence of the students having
assaulted an inspector at the concert.
The other students sided with the assail-
ants and arrangements made for I'M
authorized meeting, which, however, was
suppressed. Many OF the students were
arrested and sent into exile. Fresh
trouble was caused in Moscow by the re
port that the students had died from the
effects of injuries received while the
police We're engaged in restoring order.
Despite a denial of this rumor students
have absented themselves from their
classes and ignored the authority of the
university officials